The Herb Box in Scottsdale Going "Cronuts" with "Doissants"

With buzz of the latest pastry fad -- a croissant-doughnut hybrid originated by Dominique Ansel (who also trademarked the term) of Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York -- spreading across the country, Cronut™ knockoffs are quickly popping up at bakeries in cities like Chicago and Los Angeles.

Here in the Valley, Karl and Christine Boerner, the Swiss-trained father-daughter pastry chef team behind Karl's Quality Bakery and the next-door Baker's Daughter in Sunnyslope, have created a twist on the original called the Kronut.

And The Herb Box, the chic casual restaurant with two locations in Scottsdale, has officially gone "Cronuts" as well with what it's calling "Doissants."

Available at both the Old Town and North Scottsdale (DC Ranch) locations, the Doissant comes courtesy of Ladawn Driscol, executive pastry chef of The Herb Box.

When Driscol, who works at the Old Town location, first heard about the Cronut™, she called the restaurant's pastry chef in North Scottsdale, Monique Rossignol, with a challenge: Create your own kind of Cronut™, er, Doissant, and fast.

"What I really like about them are the layers," Rossignol tells me. "And I love how they rise and puff."

Guests at The Herb Box will find one or two ever-changing varieties of Doissants at each location.

At The Herb Box in Old Town, Driscoll makes Doissants each morning with fillings like vanilla orange cream, chocolate, and a Boston Cream.

In North Scottsdale, Rossignol serves up her Doissants on weekends only with creations such as a Nutella topped with chocolate ganache and toasted walnuts, a strawberry jalapeño with a pink glaze, and a Mexican chocolate topped with spices.